


Yet Another Brick

by CeleryThesis



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-28
Updated: 2014-03-23
Packaged: 2018-01-14 02:42:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 17,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1249774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeleryThesis/pseuds/CeleryThesis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meryl Davis and Charlie White work toward their goal of a gold medal in the 2014 Winter Olympics.  This is a work of fiction and not a reflection of the real lives and relationships of the people involved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Grand Prix Final 2012

Sochi  
December 2012

Meryl was slow to get up from her kneeling on the ice end position of the free dance. Charlie, who was usually a dead dog by the end of the program, skated over and placed his hand on her cheek, willing her to rise. Exhausted, she fell into his arms.

  
“Oh my god,” he gasped into her ear.

  
Yep, that was ridiculous. Nothing about it had been easy. The two step-sequences—their most challenging elements on their best skates—felt like they were skating through mud. The twizzles had been okay; nothing special. The lifts had been fine. She was furiously doing math in her head, and failing as they bowed. The crowd was fine. Nothing like home or Japan, but fine. She had heard Tessa and Scott’s score of 108.56 just before they had started. She and Charlie had almost a two point lead from the short, so they would need…106 something? Meryl had no idea what the judges were going to with what Charlie and she had put out there.

  
“106.63,” Charlie whispered. Meryl was pleased but not surprised that her partner knew exactly what they needed. He had probably done the math in his head about a second before their music started.

  
They skated hand-in-hand to the boards to join their coaches Marina Zueva and Maurizio Margaglio.

  
“That was…hard,” Charlie said as they put their arms around the other’s waist and Meryl patted him, reassuringly.

  
“I don’t know.” But Meryl was disappointed in them; especially in herself. They had breezed through practices; the short dance had gone off without a hitch. She was already kicking herself. Of all times to struggle. Of all _places_ to struggle. If all went as planned, they would be back here in fourteen months. What would that performance be like? Meryl shuddered.

  
Shockingly, Marina seemed pleased. She had been working tirelessly with Charlie on his expression, and she only had words of encouragement for him as she met him at the boards. Gentlemanly Maurizio kissed Meryl on both cheeks and praised her in Italian—her very favorite thing.

  
They sat in the kiss and cry bench and watched highlights on the monitor during the agonizing wait for scores. Meryl was almost watching through her fingers, expecting the worst and she was pleasantly surprised. She was gripping Charlie’s arm with her fingers around his elbow.

  
“Hey, that’s not bad,” Charlie sounded relieved.

  
“What you mean? Was great. Why you doubt? You feel; you great!” Marina said to Charlie.

  
110.19. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Charlie patted Meryl’s knee and her head collapsed into Charlie’s shoulder in relief. Just as the all-important _1_ flashed on the screen, she dropped her hand down to pat his leg, and he raised his up at that moment linking fingers with her. It sent a jolt through Meryl. Of course they had held hands hundreds of times, but only on the ice. This was more intimate than they usually touched each other off the ice. She glanced at his face; it betrayed nothing except relief.

  
They gathered their stuff and exited through the curtain. Marina and Maurizio went immediately to Tessa and Scott hunched over the scores on a monitor. Tessa looked miserable and Scott looked angry. Meryl and Charlie sought a place to duck into and found a small office, closing the door behind them.

  
They immediately jumped and hugged and cheered, letting out all the joy and relief they were too self-conscious to express in the kiss and cry. It was very important to them to be good sports when they got their scores. They had certainly spent enough time being second and lower, and they had no desire to be obnoxious winners. By themselves, though, they exploded in happiness. Meryl did her very silly, very bad hip-hop dance. Charlie looked at her with amusement and affection, and it melted her inside. They grabbed each other in another hug. Meryl looked up at Charlie and they spontaneously brushed lips.

  
Charlie exclaimed, mock-appalled, “Merle!”

  
Merle. The rink had become obsessed with _The Walking Dead_ —it was all they talked about anymore. Who would be the first to be eaten, who would survive. Someone had started calling her Merle Dixon, oh so clever, and it had stuck. There were certainly other characters Meryl would have preferred to be associated with than the white-supremacist redneck Merle, but you don’t choose your own nicknames. Scott called her Merle all the time, and no one thought it was funnier than Tessa. Meryl tried not to let on how annoying it was. Still, Charlie calling her Merle was different. She almost liked it.

  
“If you want to make out, Chuckles, just ask,” Meryl replied, both of them deflecting the awkward moment expertly.

  
They actually had made out before. They were freshmen in high school and had been to a party that included kissing games. Other players had rigged the bottle forcing Meryl and Charlie to kiss. It had been pleasant enough, but unremarkable, and neither felt a spark. Charlie had danced with Tessa at a different party, and had kissed her at the end of the night. That really could have led to something, but she started dating someone else soon after.

  
They were laughing as they exited the office in preparation for the medal ceremony. Tessa and Scott were still upset. Meryl remembered the existential crisis she had gone through after they had been defeated at Worlds last season, by none other than Tessa and Scott. She felt awkward around them in the best of circumstances, but it was so much worse after a major competition like this. She was already dreading the hugs and pictures. The four had literally grown up together, and they used to be a lot closer, but ever since Meryl and Charlie had won Worlds in 2011, it had become more and more strained. Charlie was amazing. He always knew exactly what to say and how to ease the tension. She clung to him as they skated back on the ice to receive their gold medals. The kiss was not forgotten, but she tried to put it out of her mind, so thankful that her partner was the person in the world she could trust the most. Having squishy feelings for him is the last thing she needed to do as they headed into the most important year of their career.

  
“Get it together, Davis,” she thought to herself as anthem began to play and she leaned back into her partner.


	2. Chapter 2

Omaha

January 2013

Charlie couldn't sleep. A million thoughts were racing through his head. Tanith was turned over on her side, breathing steadily, deeply asleep.

They couldn't have asked for a better Nationals. Everything they had been working on had been...well, triumphant. He felt ridiculous even thinking that way, but there wasn't a better way to describe it. The new lift in the short dance was a huge improvement both aesthetically and timing-wise. Every part of that program was now locked down. He had been incredulous when Marina suggested a ballet polka, but he never should have doubted her. The extra ballet training had been a pain in the ass at first, but he admitted now that it had made a huge difference. He had even started looking forward to ballet class as a chance to slow down and work out in an entirely different way. He had stretched in places he never thought could stretch.

The free dance, too, had been the best they had put out all season. Marina had replaced some filler choreography with a spiral sequence that he thought added just the right touch to that bit of music. When they had skated that bit in the practice sessions, the fans had gasped and applauded. It got a great reaction in the actual performance as well. The score was ridiculously inflated--good ol' USFSA--but it made him feel like the federation was sending them off to 4CCs and Worlds with confidence that they _were_ the best in the world.

They would perform their new exhibition piece tonight.  Meryl and Tanith had picked the music from one of their favorite shows, _Nashville_.  The two women watched it live every week--rare in their lives of seeming DVR dependence--and texted each other throughout the show.  Charlie would usually be on Reddit while watching with one eye; it starred Tami Taylor from _Friday Night Lights_ (a far superior show, in Charlie's opinion) married to a guy from one of those detective shows his family used to watch.  Anyway, the song was really good, and Marina had helped him with his expression so much for the free dance, that he could easily transfer it into this as well.  He also got to wear black pants; black shirt--can't lose.

Meryl had picked a tiny black sparkly dress to wear.  The first time her saw her in it, the very low-cut front and very short, slitted skirt had shocked him into not responding appropriately.  He had learned in his skating career and in his personal life, there was one useful response upon seeing a new dress:  "Beautiful! "  He was way off his game this time, though, because he waited too long, just looking at it, and Meryl had huffed back into the dressing room.

"It's not like I have to worry about anything falling out!"

"No, it's great, it's beautiful, Iove it."  Come on.

"I don't care; I'm wearing it."

"Good, you should; it's great!"

Silence.

Charlie had pulled his phone out of his pocket, trying to text his way out of this.

**Charlie** January 10 2013, 11:32 AM   Let's talk some more about your BOOBS.

He heard a ding from the dressing room and then an amused (thank god), not angry snort.

**Meryl** January 10 2013, 11:33 AM  Perv.

Still no sleep.  Tanith wasn't even stirring.  He picked up his phone, put it on silence and turned on his side, hitched up on an elbow.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:04 AM  Was up?

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:04 AM  Nothing. Reading.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:05 AM  What are you reading?

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:07 AM   Gone Girl.  It's kind of blowing my mind.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:08 AM  Yeah, I heard about it.  Can I read it next?

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:10 AM  Yeah, we can switch Kindles next week.  There's that Philip Roth on yours I haven't finished.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:10 AM  Cool.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:11 AM  118.42!

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:10 AM  I know--kinda ridiculous.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:11 AM  In a good way!

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:11 AM  Of course!

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:12 AM  Sooo glad I'm not Canadian!

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:12 AM  Right?

Charlie glanced over at his Canadian-American girlfriend.  He had nothing against Canada or Canadians, but Tessa and Scott had been royally screwed at their own nationals the week before.  Unlike here where the federation had treated this comp as a coronation of Meryl and Charlie, the judges had low-balled Tessa and Scott at Canadians.  They had a lift called at level 2, and their spin had been level 1.  Marina was livid.  Why was Skate Canada giving international judges an excuse to score Tessa and Scott low?  Yes, US National scores were inflated, but it it sent a clear message to everyone:  Davis and White should be world champs.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:13 AM  At least they have amazing respect for hockey.

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:14AM  Oh, good lord.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:14 AM Hockey hater.

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:16 AM Not even.  I just don't rank potential places to lived based on their appreciation, or lack there of, of hockey.

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:17 AM  They do have a kick-ass anthem, though.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:18 AM  It is awesome.

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:19 AM  I never want to hear it again.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:19 AM Except at a hockey game.

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:20 AM   Get help.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:21AM   :P

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:21AM   I'm falling asleep.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:22 AM Cardio AM?

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:23 AM 7:45 gym?

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:23 AM See ya there.

**Charlie** January 27 2013, 12:24 AM  Night, Merle.

**Meryl** January 27 2013, 12:23 AM  Night, Charlie.

He reset his alarm for 7:25, turned the sound back on and placed it on the night stand.  He shifted over and snuggled close to Tanith.  He was finally drifting off.  There was absolutely nothing to feel guilty about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Osaka

February 2013

 

Meryl and Charlie scooted backstage from the kiss and cry at the Four Continents Championships just as the opening notes to Carmen started playing.  Charlie sunk into a chair and pulled out his inhaler.  They had skated very late that Sunday evening, which made his asthma worse.  Meryl went straight to the computer monitor that had the break-down of their scores.  She glanced at the other monitor that showed their rivals just starting their program. Back to business.

"All level four except circular steps. All +3 on the rotational!  Nothing lower than a +2 on anything!  57.74 for PCS and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven eight, nine...nine 10s!"

She went over to hunched-over Charlie still trying to recover and rubbed his back.

"Much better, Charlie.  And the crowd!  I love Japan!"

"Oh dear," Charlie wheezed out in a fake British accent.  Friday in the short dance, Charlie had taken a fairly major stumble on the footwork.  The rest of the program had been first rate, and they were only down half a point, .44 to be exact.  They were even slightly up on the program components or PCS, which meant that in spite of the mistake, the judges thought they were just a bit above the Canadians.  This was huge for Meryl and Charlie.  They had never been ahead of Tessa and Scott on PCS after a mistake.  

Charlie, of course, was being very hard on himself, realizing that if he had skated up to his usual standards, they would be up a point and a half or two points.  They had looked up the program on YouTube as soon as it had been uploaded, and had caught the British Eurosport version.  The plummy voiced _Oh dear_ at his stumble had become Charlie's mantra over the last 48 hours.

They were rooming with the other two American ice dance teams.  Meryl, Madison Chock and Maia Shibutani in one room and Charlie, Evan Bates and Alex Shib in the adjoining.  It had been like summer camp. Meryl was ready to go home.  A four day slumber party had been quite enough.  Because they were in the most important part of the season, there was no alcohol, no decent snacks and they should be going to bed early, although that last one hadn't really happened.  Meryl was lucky that she could sleep through anything but lots of laughing from her room and LOTS of bro-talk from the adjoining had kept her from reading or watching Netflix--the two things that kept her sane during competitions.  She had escaped to her mom's room for most of the day today. 

"So they need...112. twenty...I don't know."

"112.23.  How are they doing?"

 Meryl was watching the monitor closely.  "Good.  They just finished twizzles.  Really good."

Charlie stood up to watch.  Good spin, good steps.  It was going to be very close.  Meryl put her arm around him.  This was the longest seven minutes of the season so far.

"Oh my god. What are they doing?  No lift!" Meryl was trying to figure out what was happening as Scott and Tessa started skating to the boards. 

"I think we just won." Charlie deadpanned.  "Are they okay?"

"I don't know.  Scott was trying to continue, but Tessa wasn't."  Carmen abruptly cut off. Meryl and Charlie watched as Tessa and Scott skated over to their shared coaches Marina and Oleg Epstein.  Oleg quickly got Tessa a water while Scott shooed away the Japanese camera man.

"Is it her?" Charlie asked, "Tessa's legs again?"

They watched Marina look down at Tessa. 

"They're going to start back up," Meryl was almost crying, mostly with nerves but also with concern.  This was something out of Meryl's worst nightmares.  She and Charlie had skated some rather disastrous programs before, but they'd never had to stop. 

Meryl and Tessa had a strained relationship.  Meryl was tense and awkward toward her, and the longer it went on, the worse it got. Meryl tried to avoid her.  She didn't hate her, in fact, she really liked her and missed the friendship they once had, but the competitive situation had gotten to be too much.  Still, she hated to see Tessa in pain and so upset. 

"They're getting to do that lift--we _better_ win." Charlie took a long drink of water.

"Stop.  Maia and Alex got to do the lift they stopped on at Cup of Russia."

"That's right.  But they didn't win."

"Charlie, seriously, we're probably going to win.  Just hush."

"Are you going to kiss me again if we do?"

"There aren't enough inhalers in the world, Chuck."

Charlie laughed, but it wasn't with his usual abandon.  So many nerves.  Scott and Tessa finished strong but looked gutted coming off the ice.  Tessa unlaced her skates in the kiss and cry.  They hadn't seen her do that since before the last surgery.  The marks came in, and Meryl and Charlie had won by 3 points.  Charlie leaned against Meryl and side-hugged her. 

They were very happy with their skate.  They were happy to have won although it was not a celebration given the circumstances.  Five weeks to Worlds.

"Okay." Charlie said and squeezed her close.

"Okay." Meryl said and took a deep breath.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

On identical notes taped to Meryl's bathroom mirror and Charlie and Tanith's refrigerator:

 

1.  Win every practice

2.  Short dance:  all level 4

3.  Live the free dance

 

London, Ontario

March 2013

World Championships

 

**Practice Day 1; morning practice**

**Highlights** :  everything!

**Low points** :  none

**Winning**? Duh.

 

**Practice Day 1; afternoon practice**

**Highlights** :  everything up to the last 30 seconds in the short dance

**Low points** : 1)  Evan Bates and Madison Chock crashing into Charlie at the end of  Meryl and Charlie's music while Meryl and Charlie had the right of way

                       2)  Charlie having to save Madison from crashing into the boards using only his own strength and sense of chivalry

                       3)  Charlie earning level 4 +3 GOE in open hostility and creative swearing at Evan

                       4) Charlie staring down former coach Igor Shpilband for not teaching his new team practice etiquette

                        5) Meryl having to lead Charlie away by the hand--deflect, deflect, deflect!

**Winning**? By points.  Maybe.

 

**Practice Day 2**

**Highlights:** 1) Charlie wearing his ballet prince practice top.  Who doesn't love ballet prince?

                        2)  Marina encouraging Meryl and Charlie to practice a little on their own at the end.  Charlie showing off his footwork skills, his hair flying like a true ballet prince

                        3) The crowd swooning, even the most partisan Canadian

                        4) Meryl almost swooning, so princely is the prince

                        5)  Meryl throwing down her signature spiral, right in front of judges, right before they are called to get off the ice. Bam!

**Low points** :  None

**Winning?**   Oh come on, seriously?

 

**Short Dance**

They fleetly float, they fly.  Twizzles are the best of the season.  Charlie smashes the footwork, and throws a beaming smile at Meryl--oh dear! The polka so merry, yet so precise.  They rotate beautifully through the lift--and finish!  And the crowd goes..not wild.  Almost begrudgingly polite applause.  The smallish Davis and White contingency goes wild, though.  Gets a little lost in a sea of yellow-clad Virtue and Moir supporters.  Why yellow?  Yeah, no idea.

77.12!  Two-and a half points better than their season's best.  Their faces say "Thank you, we just try to do our best," but inside they they are screaming:  _Fuck yeah, bitches! How's this for a time to peak?_   They hug.  Charlie says "Great!" which actually means, _Right here, Davis: you, me and our 77.12--how do you like that?_

And they didn't even get a full set of level 4s.  The controller dings them on the first key-point in polka section 1 and drops them to level 3.  Charlie demands a replay.  Meryl tells him to sit down and drink his water. 

Tessa bungles her first set of twizzles, and Scott almost runs into the boards on their footwork.  Meryl and Charlie have a 3.25 point lead going into the...

 

**Free Dance**

The hunchback lives.  Esmerelda lives.  Then she dies.  It's so lovely and sad and dramatic. And technically insane, but looks effortless.  112.44 extending their lead by 1.27 even though Tessa and Scott's Carmen was better than it has been all season.  Meryl and Charlie are two-time world champions.  The goal for the season--done.

**Aftermath**

Backstage waiting for the medal ceremony, they are both a little teary, but they try to keep it light.  Charlie bemoans the last time he'll ever get to wear his favorite costume ever,  black practice pants and a distressed sweat shirt.  He pulls a two-foot long dark brown hair off of his sleeve.  "Hmmm...whose is this _?_ "

"Sorry.  If it's any consolation, I'm pretty sure my hair will be up for everything next season."

Charlie doesn't tell her that finding her hair here and there, and sometimes really bizarre places is one of his favorite things.  He found a Meryl hair in his car the other day, and put it in the glove box.  That's not embarrassing at all.  Fairly disgusting.

They receive their medals and really awkward hugs from Tessa and Scott.  The Russian bronze medalists, Katia and Dmitry are so thrilled to be on the podium, it deflects the tension a bit.  A lovely choir sings the _Star-Spangled Banner_.  More tears.  More hugs. So much relief.  A Canadian journalist had compared Meryl and Charlie to Kraft Singles verses Tessa and Scott's finely aged Gouda. (Seriously, WTF?)  Meryl and Charlie make plans for celebratory grilled cheese.

"We did it."

"We did it."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Los Angeles

April 2013

 

On their last night of their whirlwind trip to LA, Meryl and Charlie went out to dinner with Derek Hough and some of his friends.  It was an amazing finish to a truly amazing week.  They had trained with Derek, been on the front row of _Dancing with the Stars_ , participated in media events and photo shoots for the Olympics (!) and hung out with some SoCal based skaters they didn't get to see often enough.

While it was technically the off-season, they were already hard at work on their Olympic programs. They were going to take short vacations at the beginning of summer, but most of the time was going to be spent at the rink for the next ten months.  It's what they wanted; it's what they did best.  Still, it had been heaven this week.  They were maintaining their usual diets and workout schedules, but had given each other permission to splurge on their last night.  For Charlie, that had meant a steak and fries for dinner.  Meryl ate modestly,  as always, but ordered ordered a big, chocolate dessert with a twinkle in her eye.  Derek and his friends had kept the wine flowing, and because Meryl and Charlie didn't drink much, even in the off-season, they were a bit tipsy after dinner.

Their hotel was just a few blocks from the restaurant and they decided to walk instead of finding a cab.  It was a beautiful neighborhood with big trees on both sides of the street, each decorated with white lights.  Meryl was wearing ridiculously high wedges, and linked her arm through Charlie's for support as they gushed about all the people they had met and experiences they had shared that week.

"Let me take your picture," Charlie pulled out his phone.

Meryl stood in front of a tree and smiled as he snapped it.

"Let me see.  Ugh, look at those crow's feet.  I'm going to need some Instagram magic there."

"Stop."  Charlie looked at the picture.  She was wearing a short dress with those silly shoes.  She was getting a little help from a push-up bra he guessed.  Her hair was long and curled and free.  It glowed red against the lights of the tree.  Her smile went all through her eyes.  Her face betrayed pure joy.  Those were not crow's feet; they were laugh lines. She snuggled against his arm as they walked on.  This was not going on Instagram; this was his picture--his souvenir of this week.

They reached their hotel and their parting to separate rooms.  At her door, Charlie had a strong urge to follow her in.  To fall with her onto the bed.  To take off that dress and see what was under it.  To touch her, finally.  To explore those small breasts that had fascinated him since they showed up when she was fourteen and he was thirteen and in WAY over his head.  To hold her all night.  To do all sorts of disgusting, wonderful things. 

She turned and gave him a full body hug.  She must have felt him against her and realized his depravity.  But...she looked him in the eyes, kissed him on the mouth and said,

"This was the most wonderful week of my life."

She pulled her key out of her handbag and disappeared into the room.

Charlie walked to his room and collapsed on his bed in relief.  No more wine EVER.  Well, at least until that last free dance in February.

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Canton, Michigan

Undisclosed Tropical Location

June 2013

 

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:17 PM  Was up?

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:20 AM  Why are you texting me on vacation, Chuck?

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:24 PM  I have some gossip, and you don't know it!

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:26 AM  So fookin' tell me, before I shiv you.

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:27 PM  ?

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:30 AM  You have to watch Orange is the New Black on Netflix; it's changing my life.

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:31 AM  Gossip?

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:33 PM Okay--some Canadian TV network is doing a reality show on Tessa and Scott

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:35 AM O.M.G!

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:36 PM  I know! 

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:38 AM They're going to be the Canadian Kardashians!

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:39 PM  They are making us sign releases because they will be filming at the rink.  There's one for you when you get back.

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:41 AM  You know what this means?

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:42 PM  ?

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:44 AM  We are totally going to be the villains of this thing

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:47 PM  That's exactly what Tanith said!  I'm working on my evil laugh.

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:49 AM  I'm so excited!

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:51 PM  I'll pay you $50 to drop a Kardashian reference on camera

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:52 AM Oh, you are so on!

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:53 PM Tell Fedor hi

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:54 AM  I absolutely will not

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:56 AM  I'll be back in 3 days, don't text me again unless the rink has burned down or Tessa shows up pregnant

**Charlie** June 15 2013, 3:58 PM  Miss you, too

**Meryl** June 15 2013, 10:59 AM :P

 


	7. Chapter 7

Canton, Michigan

July 2013

 

Meryl woke up half out of her bed.  In that moment of still almost dreaming consciousness, she interrogated herself: why the hell am I almost on the floor.  Bits of dreaminess flashed, and she forced her mind to focus when it hit her:  she was Finnstepping in her sleep.  She clicked on her phone and was alarmed to see the time at 11:45; it seemed as if she had been asleep for hours and hours.  At least there were five hours to go before the alarm.

"Are we going crazy? Is this healthy?" she was venting at Charlie the next day at the rink.

"Yes.  And No.  Clearly."  Charlie laughed, which was instantly comforting.

Marina had gone off the deep end, for starters.  She had insisted the Arctic Edge staff cover the glass separating the ice from the gallery with black paper.  She required the skaters to wear wireless earphones so the music wouldn't be broadcast.  Meryl doubted many people cared about their music choices and the earphones gave her a headache.  Charlie had switched the _My Fair Lady_ track with _Blurred Lines_ yesterday, and Meryl had enjoyed the Finnstep for the first time in weeks. Everybody get up!  Marina had yelled at them about their timing mistakes.

"What's wrong with you--how you miss this up?"  Back to _I could have screeched all night_.  Sigh.

Tessa and Scott were having their usual drama.  The cameras for the reality show wouldn't be here until October, and Meryl felt like they were missing out on some prime footage.  The Canadians were having problems with whatever Russian music Marina had foisted on them for their free dance.  Because of the headphones, Meryl hadn't heard very much of it so far, but apparently they kept re-editing it.  Neither one seemed very happy.  Meryl adored their short dance music, though and was a little jealous.  Marina didn't think it was a good idea for Tessa to do another Audrey Hepburn inspired program, so she and Scott got Ella and Louis while Meryl and Charlie were stuck with...were lucky enough to have _My Fair Lady_.  Charlie had cut the music brilliantly for the Finnstep.  It was a seamless mash-up of three songs from the musical.  It was masterful--Meryl was in awe.  The problem was that the only approved version of the main theme featured a singer who was no Julie Andrews.  The choreography was wonderful though, the step-sequence was the best they had ever done. She had seventeen ideas for dresses, and Charlie would be in tails.  Meryl had sketched them doing twizzles in sync with her skirt and his tails twirling perfectly matched.

Their free dance caused her much less stress.  She loved everything about it.  The music was beautiful and perfect. They had been working on the elements for months, and the program was farther along than their past work had been in October.

What worried her the most was that it was only July and she was physically and emotionally exhausted.  Each night she barely had enough energy to get off the couch.  Her mom left her a dinner plate every day in the fridge, and Meryl would heat up her dinner, choke down as much as she could and then fall asleep in the middle of a show or her book.  That a 26 year old woman seemingly had to rely on her mother for sustenance was also embarrassing.  Her mom had come over a few weeks ago and had seen an empty fridge and a freezer full of Lean Cuisines.  Every day since then, there was a plate waiting for her and and lunch to take to the rink.  It was the same one she had eaten through most of her school career:  half a turkey sandwich, string cheese, an apple and a cookie. As great as it was to have good food every day, it didn't seem like normal behavior.

The psychological stress was the worst, though.  Meryl and Charlie's mantra was to only worry about what they could control, and yet she was worrying a lot about everything, especially things they _couldn't_ control.  What if the judging panel was hostile? What if everyone hated the programs? What if they made a huge mistake? What if they lost the Grand Prix Final? What if all of those teams they had beaten last year by ten or so points were scored much closer to them, like at 2012 Worlds? What if Scott and Tessa's programs are an unqualified triumph and Meryl and Charlie don't even have a chance?  They had won the last four meetings with Tessa and Scott, what if that is it?  They've already won Olympic silver, they will be the world's biggest, most embarrassing losers if they don't win gold this time.  Will all of this training time, energy and sacrifice be a total waste if they don't win?

And it was those thoughts that were swirling through her head one night in late July.  Awake before two, and not even nocturnal pattern dancing to blame.  She felt so alone and so full of worry, that she reached for her phone.

**Meryl**   July 23 2013 1:49 A.M.  What if we lose?

She was such an idiot.  She knew he turned his phone off at night.  He would turn it on in the morning and see her ridiculous text after she had gone back to sleep and was inevitably feeling better in the light of day.  Tanith might see it and wonder why Meryl was texting Tanith's boyfriend in the middle of the night.  Ugh, she wished she could get it back.

Ding

**Charlie** July 23 2013 1:51 A.M  We're going to win.

**Meryl**   July 23 2013 1:52 A.M.  Not necessarily.  Why are you awake?

**Charlie** July 23 2013 1:53 A.M  Can't sleep.  Binging on _Orange is the New Black_ \--so good!

**Meryl**   July 23 2013 1:53 A.M.  I told you!

**Charlie** July 23 2013 1:55 A.M  Anyway, we're going to win.  And if we don't, can you think of anything we're not doing, or that we could do better, or that we could change at this point?

**Meryl**   July 23 2013 1:56 A.M. No

**Charlie** July 23 2013 1:58 A.M I can't either.  So if we get silver, we will have to accept it and move on with our lives.  Now, go to sleep.

**Meryl**   July 23 2013 2:00 A.M.  You, too.

And they did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

Colorado Springs

August 2013

 

**Lies told by Meryl and/or Charlie at Champs Camp** :

 

I'm so excited to be here.

I love this year's t-shirt design--so cute!

It's awesome that we're roommates.

Can't wait to film your video!

I'm stuffed; I couldn't eat another bite.

That tiara is _perfect_ with your dress.

I don't know; I've never thought of her in that way.

Nice bag, Johnny.  More is more!

Yay, team building exercises!

I'm sure people don't hold the whole thing with Emily against you.

I love that Michael Jackson program.

Lyrics during the Finnstep section?  That's a great idea!

Deep red costumes?  That's a great idea!

Swapping the curve lift and the combo lift?  That's a great idea!

No, I don't think your music is jarring, who told you that?

We've never talked about that.

I don't even know what he thinks about that.

We've really never talked about that.

It's none of our business; we're just here to skate.

I don't know; I've never thought about him in that way.

No, never even thought about it.

Never.

I really look forward to this week; it's nice to get away.

It's definitely a unique training situation, but it works for us.

We don't worry about what we can't control.

I've never thought about that.

I can't imagine that.

I haven't even considered that.

 

**Truth told by Meryl and Charlie at Champs Camp:**

 

Anything but gold will be a disappointment.

 

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

Salt Lake City

September 2013

 

Meryl knocked on Charlie's hotel room door about an hour after they had been awarded gold medals at the Salt Lake City Senior B.

Charlie answered, dressed only in shorts with wet hair fresh from his shower.

"Hey," she breezed in, trying not to be distracted by his shirtlessness.  Should she sit on the bed?  No, it was unmade anyway, which made her twitchy.   Over to the table and chair in the corner as he was pulling on a shirt.  Thank goodness.

"So are you ready to go? I am starving." Charlie was trying to find his other flip-flop.

"Yes, in a minute.  First, though, tell me your top 5 worries."

"Oh no, Merle, not now.  I'm starving, like I'm going to die.  Please, please please, can we do this after dinner?"

"Charlie, I don't want to do this in front of our moms, and if we do it later, I'll be thinking about it all through dinner. Please let's just get through it and move on."

Deep, heavy sigh.

"Fine.  Am I allowed to say what I am not worried about first?"

"Of course!"

"The elements are exactly where we want them at this stage."

"Oh, I totally agree.  I am really happy about how it went yesterday and today.  Now, your worries."

Charlie took a long drag off of his bottle of water. Another sigh.

"Okay.  1. Athsma  2.  110.02 3.  Dying of starvation 4. Your fat ass and 5. The restaurant running out of food before we get there."

Meryl had been taking notes on hotel paper, but stopped after number 2.

"I'm going to ignore the last three, although I can assure you, I'm working on my fat ass. Asthma, I'm not worried about.  Charlie, it was a million degrees at that rink.  It reminded me of all of those Lake Placid meets.  Remember how much it affectted your asthma?"

"Yeah, but I've been pushing so hard on cardio it just pisses me off that once again I was struggling in the end."

"I thought you were much more with me in the last few moments that you were last season.  I think the extra cardio is making a big difference.  Didn't you fell better about the diagonal steps?"

"I guess, I don't know."

"I know it sucks to struggle to breathe, but I really thought it was better."

"Okay, let's hear your list."

Meryl pulled out her phone.

"Why are you writing mine down on that paper if you put yours on your phone?"

"I like hotel paper.  You don't see it much anymore, and I like this pen, too.  Okay.  1.  110.02  2. Costumes..."

"What's wrong with the costumes?"

"We can do better."

"Okay, anything else?"

"3. Peaking too soon..."

"How's that different from number 1?"

"Dude, it's my list. 4. Weird hair  5. Spiders."

"What's wrong with my hair?  SPIDERS?"

"No, it's my hair.  It looked really bad on the monitor.  Like, matronly.  I've got to figure it out.  And I couldn't think of a number 5, but spiders are always worrisome."

"Spiders are amazing, they kill the bad bugs.  Augh, are we ever going to eat?  Okay, let's deal with the 110.02 since it's the real issue, although, for the record, I'm still worried about asthma. "

"That score is terrifying."

"I agree."

"We started out at 104 something last year a Skate America."

  
"104.89."

"We weren't in the 110s until the Grand Prix Final.  So what if we go to Skate America next month and are back down to earth at 105 or so? It's going to read like a major fail."

"I know, I feel the same way. Who are we up against--Alex and Maia and..."

"Anna and Luca.  If they score in the 103-104 range, and we're in the 105-106, it's going to be 2012 all over again."

"Or maybe 110 is a baseline for us this year."

"I can't even imagine."

"So what do we need to do?  Cardio, strength, dance, train, same as we have been."  Charlie looked at her then.  "It could be fine.  It really could be...fine."

Meryl said nothing but looked him in the eyes and felt better.  Really felt better.  What power did he have to calm her with words she had heard a thousand times before.  He picked up his keys and wallet.

"Can we please go eat now?"

"Yes, we can go.  Marina is coming with us."

"Noooooooooooooooooo!"

"Yep, enjoy that side salad, buddy."

 

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

Canton, Michigan

October 2013

 

It was Charlie's 26th birthday and he was celebrating it by...training all day.  It had been an insane last two weeks, but today should be fairly quiet.  Meryl and Charlie had competed very well the week before at Skate America.  It had been in Detroit this year, which had been so amazing.  It was the first time in their senior careers that they had competed at home.  He suspected at least half the audience were connected to Meryl and him in some way.  The scores had been great--no worries there.  In fact, the only thing Meryl seemed to be concerned about was her hair in the free dance--Charlie didn't even want to guess. 

The cameras had arrived for Tessa and Scott's reality show two weeks before, which had been eventful and somewhat unnerving.  Meryl had bought out the Lululemon website and had a training ensemble for every day:  leggings, top, off the shoulder sweater, leg-warmers, all perfectly coordinated.  Charlie missed the summer training days when she just wore a leotard and dance skirt.  

Tessa, Scott, Marina, Oleg and the whole camera crew were now in St. John, Nova Scotia for their first Grand Prix event, Skate Canada.  Charlie loved the rink on weeks like this when it was just the remaining skaters and a few assistant coaches.  Everyone was perceptibly more at ease.  He was sure it was the same way when he and Meryl were elsewhere.

Tanith wasn't riding with him today.  She had the day off and was still asleep.  They'd had a major fight a few days before Skate America, and they weren't really over it yet. 

It had started when Tanith told him that she was going to stop mentioning him in social media. Her agent had suggested it.

"You know I want to do cometary in Sochi, but NBC is really hesitant because of perceived bias," she had told him.

"Well, they have a point, right?"

"Yeah and I feel like I need to be beyond reproach."

"That's fine, Tanith, I mean, Kelloggs will be disappointed because you do the soft-sell better than anyone."

"Tony will survive.  I think it will be good for you and Meryl, too."

Charlie looked at her, confused.

"NBC and everyone else will want to sell you as a couple, so I think it would be better for me to be invisible."

"Oh come on, that has never happened!  That's one of the major digs at us--that we have no romantic chemistry."

"Maybe before, Charlie, but if you haven't noticed it's changed."

"What has changed?"

"I don't know.  You and Meryl.  How people perceive you."

"Yes, we've worked on connection, but..."

"Charlie, I know _something_ has changed."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know."

"Marina would be thrilled to hear this conversation!  All of that hard work is paying off!" He laughed his good ol' guy laugh.  Deflect, deflect, deflect.  But he looked into her eyes and saw pain.

"Tanith."  He tried to pull her into a hug, but she brushed him off.

"I want to talk about this.  I know what a friendly partnership looks like.  Feels like.  I lived that for years. Ben and I were very close.  You and Meryl are enmeshed."

"I don't know what that means," Charlie lied.

"Yes, you do.  Charlie, I'm not accusing you of anything.  I do know that something has been off since last season.  And especially since your LA trip."

"Tanith, I..."

"It's not just you.  Meryl could hardly talk to me in Italy."

Tanith, Meryl, Brooke Castille and a few other friends had gone on a bacherlorette's weekend trip last Spring right before Brooke's wedding.

"Nothing has happened!"

"I'm not accusing you of fucking her, Charlie, although, frankly, I wouldn't be that surprised." Tanith was yelling, which Charlie had almost never heard her do.

"Whoa."

"Don't dismiss me."  She was crying.

"I'm not, Tanith.  Nothing has happened.  I love you, I always have."  He got her into his arms.

"I'm sorry."  She was apologizing to him.  He died a little.

"No, Tanith.  Please don't cry.  I love you.  I'm sorry."

"I'm sure it's nothing.  I'm just...I don't know."

"It's okay, really.  It's okay."

Charlie was thinking about it all again pulling into the rink.  And of course, Meryl was there walking in just ahead of him.

"Happy birthday, yo!"  She got on tip-toes to ruffle his hair.  "My favorite two months of the year!"

"January first will be here soon.  27...good lord, Merle, that is OLD."

"Well, until then we are 26 and 26--I love it!"

They put their stuff down on one of the tables in the lobby.

"Nothing better than a quiet rink!" Meryl whispered.  "LOVE Skate Canada!  Hey, there will be cake we can't eat and all that jazz later on, but I'm giving you your present now."  She thrust a birthday bag at him.

"Oh my GOD!" Charlie pulled out a signed Pavel Datsyuk jersey. 

"See, I can appreciate hockey."

"When did you..."

"It wasn't that hard. I snagged him when we were doing promo at Joe Lewis before Skate America--just after you met him."

Charlie resisted hugging her.  "Thank you, I really love it."

"I knew you would.  You ready?"  They went into the respective locker rooms.  They had a great, quiet training day.  There was cake, which no one but rink management ate. Meryl and Charlie walked to their cars together.

"So what do you think about Skate Canada?" Meryl brought up the topic they both couldn't stop thinking about.

"I don't know."

"Me, neither.  I mean, Finlandia was rough."

Tessa and Scott had not scored well in their Senior B in Helsinki. 

"I feel like, if they score low again, it will enrage Scott, like push him into work insanity.  Like 70 hours a week insanity."

"I agree." Meryl helped Charlie put some of the birthday goodies in his car.  "It would be best if they were in the 74/109 range," she said.

"Yeah, not too high, let's not get crazy."  Meryl laughed and pulled out her sunglasses against the late afternoon autumn glare.

"Do you and Tanith want to come over tomorrow and watch the short dance?  I can always find a Russian feed."

"We're an IceNetwork subscription family, Merle.  Come over to ours."

"Okay, should I bring anything?"

"Fedor?" Please, Meryl, for the sake of all things holy, bring Fedor.

"He has a thing.  But I'll bring Anastasia or Lindsay or someone."  Their mind-meld saves the day again.

"Happy birthday." She patted his arm and started for her car.

"Thanks for the jersey.  It's probably my all-time best gift."

"No problem.  See you tomorrow."

He got in the car and sighed.  He had been so good.  So on the game.  Absolutely nothing had happened that would be a problem with anyone.  So why did he feel miserable?

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the rating from Teen to Mature. I think it's borderline, and I'm new to the game, so I decided to err on the side of caution. Please give feedback on this issue if you have an opinion.


	11. Chapter 11

Tokyo, Japan

November 2013

 

Meryl was lying in bed watching Japanese TV.  It was one of her favorite things.  Her gold medal from the NHK Grand Prix event and the flowers she had received were on the night stand.  It had been a hectic day--skating at 1:00, medal ceremony and then straight to the gala.  They had eaten dinner with their all of their friends and now nothing but sleep and a day off tomorrow to be a tourist.  Perfect!  Meryl and Charlie had decided to pay extra this season and go for single adjoining rooms.  It was such a stressful season, and they needed fewer distractions.  Meryl was thrilled to alone with the TV.

Ding.

**Charlie** Sunday November 10, 2013 11:37  Was up?

Well, it was nice while it lasted.

**Meryl** Sunday November 10, 2013 11:38 Are you seriously texting me from next door? Come on over.

A knock at their shared door.  Meryl scampered out of bed to let him in.

"I can't sleep.  What are you watching? It looks amazing. " Charlie flopped on the other bed.

"I have no idea, but it's great."  Meryl got back in her bed.

"I love Japan."

"I do, too.  I've missed it so much.  We have to do the Japanese tour this summer. I wonder how long Stars on Ice will be."

"I don't know, but I hope we get back here.  I miss these people."

"I know." Meryl turned on her side to face him, propping herself on an elbow.  "I was just thinking about that.  In ten years I'm not sure we'll be talking much to Tessa and Scott yet, but we'll be having Dai and Mao..."

"Over for Thanksgiving.  I think so, too."

"I'm trying to picture Dai sitting down to turkey and stuffing."

"Okay, maybe not Thanksgiving, but you know what I mean."

"Thanksgiving next year we can actually eat."

"I can't wait, I'm starving."

"Charlie, we just ate 2 hours ago!"

"I'm always starving."

"I have some crackers..."

"That's okay. Thanks.  What time is it at home?"

"Sunday morning."

They both lay in silence for a few moments until Meryl spoke up. 

"Grand Prix Final, Christmas, Nationals and then it will be here."

"I know it's going so fast."

"I almost wish we could just do it, I mean I feel ready, and I just keep getting more and more nervous.  I have this feeling in my stomach all the time--maybe that's what it is and not hunger."

"Oh, no. I have it, too.  It's two distinct things.  What are you most nervous about?"

"Right now? Losing the Grand Prix Final.  And then the other is always there."

"The other!  It's like Voldermort or something that can't be named."

"The Olympics, weirdo.  There."

They fell back into a silence, transfixed by the TV.  Finally Charlie spoke.

"Can I ask you an off the wall question?"

Meryl turned back toward him and gave him a teasing look.

"What's the deal with you and Fedor?"

"What's the _deal_ with us?"

"Meryl.  Yes.  What's up with you?" I never see you together, I wouldn't even think you liked him based on how you guys act at the rink."

"We're fine, nothing's changed. It's weird at the rink because he coaches Tessa and Scott, too, plus Marina--it's weird. That last thing either of us are going to do is flaunt anything. You and Tanith don't hang on each other at the rink."

"Meryl, you seriously can't compare..."

"Oh, of course not.  You and Tanith have a love that's pure and good and made of rainbows and sparkles, and Fedor and I are just fucking around."  She threw a pillow at him.

"That is not what I meant..."

"Yes you did, ya asshole.  No, we're not in love, I don't think.  He likes movies; I like movies.  We like to go try new restaurants. We have lots of fun on vacation.  In five years, he'll probably be dating someone else at the rink, and I will be far away living a different life. We're both fine with what we have now."

"So you don't want more?"

What a question.  Meryl was devastated when Charlie started dating Tanith four years ago.  It had been the only time she and Charlie had serious conflict between them.  It had started the summer before the last Olympic season.  Meryl and Charlie were trying to make an ambitious move from US team #2 behind Tanith and Ben to US team #1, passing them.  So Charlie goes off and falls in love with the opposition.  Meryl was confused and livid; she felt absolutely betrayed.  What did this mean for their team?  She would hardly talk to him for weeks.  Marina was about to ship them off to couples' therapy.  Meryl realized that somewhere in her, she thought that she and Charlie would end up together, and as long as neither of them had serious relationships, it meant that they were just biding their time.  This flew out the window when Charlie fell head-over-heels for Tanith. Meryl took out her angst in training and relished every score that season.  She was thrilled when she and Charlie beat Tanith and Ben at Nationals and then at the Olympics.  After that, she began to accept the relationship, and didn't really think about it much.  Tanith was her friend, and she had been incredibly supportive of team Charlie and Meryl since her retirement from competition.

"Charlie..."  She was stalling. "I probably will at some point. But not today." She tried her best Syrio Ferel voice.  Charlie threw threw the pillow back at her.  "Now, get out of here so I can sleep."

"Sorry Merle, didn't mean to get all deep on you." He laughed. "Good night."

"Night, Charlie."

And then she was stuck with a million thoughts going on in her head.  Why did he even bring that stuff up? What is he thinking about? Why does he care? Is he in there texting with Tanith about it?  She turned off the TV and got out her iPad to dull her senses with Netflix.

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

Fukuoka, Japan

December 2013

 

**Meryl Davis's Ten Favorite Things about the Grand Prix Final 2013**

 

 

1.  Winning.

2.  Winning even when Tessa and Scott skated really well.

3.  Winning after Scott bragged about beating them in front of her, the cameras, and the head of Skate Canada, or whatever Mike Spilchuk is.

4.  Japan!

5.  Flirting with Fabian.  Photo bombing Fabian.  Breathing the same air as Fabian.  That man is sex on skates.  Sex on toast.  Sex. Nathalie has a boyfriend, but Meryl can't understand why she doesn't have constant sex with Fabian.  Victory sex, conciliatory sex, how the fuck did I/K beat us at TEB sex, hate sex, these flowers they gave us are ridiculous, let's have sex.  Meryl is glad he isn't her partner; they would never learn choreography.

6\. Okay, skating stuff.  The short dance wasn't their best.  Meryl was a little surprised to be leading, if only by .04.  (Really, judges? .04? That's hilarious.) But they were on their game in the free.  One level 3 in the circular steps, but everything else was ON.  +3 from almost every judge for each of the lifts. 13 10s for PCS.  Thank you and thank you.

7\. Oh yeah, world record score.

8.  Christmas is in 2 weeks!

9.  A DVR waiting at home with loads of season finales and winter finales:  _Grey's, Scandal, The Walking Dead, Homeland_ . No spoilers, please!

10.  Charlie.  Okay, where to begin.  Well, first, it had been weird between them lately.  Since about Skate America, Charlie was on edge around her a lot.  Then there was that bizarre concern trolling about Fedor that night in the hotel at NHK.  With the cameras at the rink and their nerves still out of control, they hadn't been on their usual click. It started to get better on the plane.  They don't often sit together on long flights; Charlie is usually next to Alex or Evan or some other bro making the trip.  But this time they were on the same flight as Tessa and Scott and it was very our camp vs. their camp, and sitting together was the best option by far.  Meryl and Charlie just chatted about nothing in particular, but soon their old rhythm was back.  Meryl was hugely relieved.  She needed him.

Once again they were in adjoining rooms, but smaller this time.  Charlie came over the night of the short dance.  They were both kicking themselves for their twizzle sync error.  While watching more Japanese TV, they went through their texts and Twitter feeds. Lots of love.  Some hate Tweets.  There are some mean, scary people out there. 

There was a movie on, and while there were no subtitles, they found it on IMDB and read enough to get the gist of what was happening.  They filled in the dialogue with relish. Meryl was exhausted and drifted off.  She awoke to the TV still on and Charlie asleep beside her on the bed. (Hey, there was only one bed.  Where was he _supposed_ to sit?) She carefully clicked off the TV with the remote and went back to sleep, very comfortable beside him. When she woke up the next time, the sun was coming up, and he was looking at her, noses almost touching.

"Hi," he whispered.

"Good morning," she answered.

He shuffled back to his room and shut the door.

When they met later on for practice, he hugged her, which he hadn't done in months--except, of course on the ice.  They skated really well, both in practice and later in the free dance.  He was winded at the end, but nothing terrible.  They were restrained as always in the Kiss and Cry, but very happy and relieved to have won.  Their smiles went all the way up to their eyes.  They gathered up their stuff and exited through the curtain with Marina and Maurizio, just like last year.  Except instead of being sad and angry, Tessa and Scott, but Scott in particular, was doing that _congratulations, but we should have won_ thing. They had a whole new swagger.  Meryl was looking for an exit.  Once again she and Charlie found a little room to duck into.

"Yay!" she said laughing and hugging him.

He looked at her with an expression of appreciation, affection...well...love, if she had ever seen it.  He bent his head and deliberately kissed her softly.  She hugged him again, and they went out to face their rivals again and get ready for the medal ceremony. And there was Fabian waiting for Nathalie in ladies' room across the hall.

"Meryl," Fabian said.  Oh, she died hearing that in his French accent.  "You are blushing.  What did he do to you?"

"No, I was just thinking of you."

Charlie laughed that amazing, warm, rolling laugh. He took her hand and they walked back toward the gate, waiting to be called.  Maybe it had meant something or nothing, but at least he was looking at her like he had this summer and before.  He was the most important person in the most important two months of her life so far.  And she felt incredibly lucky.

 

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

Canton, Michigan

January 2014

 

The Arctic Edge Figure Skating Club had never been a more aptly named place.

The Shibutanis were on edge because they were in a tight battle with two other teams for the remaining two US ice dance Olympic spots.  They had changed some of the music in their free dance and were doubting every decision.

Tanith was on edge because she was working with the Shibs for hours every day.  Other than her own career, and most of the time Charlie and Meryl's she had never wanted a team to succeed more than she did Maia and Alex.  They were so kind and worked so hard--they were her favorite people at the moment.  Charlie was still weird.  She was still baffled.

Tessa and Scott were on edge because two of the lifts and both step sequences in the free dance and the twizzles in the short were continuing to give them problems.  Marina had informed them that she would be attending US Nationals instead of Canadians because the Shibs needed her the most.  It was the first time she had missed their nationals.  They had slightly changed their free dance music cut for the eight hundredth time, and their reality show had debuted to whispers and some shock at the rink.

Marina was on edge because Scott and Tessa were unhappy and not training as well as they should be, and the Shibs were so anxious.

Oleg and Maurizio were on edge because Marina was.

Johnny Johns, Marina's boyfriend and the club's lift coach, was not on edge because he didn't come with that setting.

Charlie was on edge because he was one month away from the most important skates of his life. His head was a mess.  When he was with Tanith, he felt guilty.  When he was with Meryl, he felt guilty.  When he allowed himself time to think about something other than training, he felt like the world's biggest asshole who was letting down everyone he loved.

Meryl was on edge because she was one month away from the most important skates of her life, and everyone around her was going fucking nuts.  If one more person tried to console her about the whole _Tessa and Scott_ bullshit, she was going to go full psycho-diva-queen on them and show what that REALLY looks like.  Tessa had actually been nice about the whole thing.  The morning after the premier, which of course Meryl watched although she would deny it to her grave, Tessa brought Meryl a chai-tea latte (not soy, but it's the thought that counts) and apologized.

"I obviously said some things about you that were...harsh.  I should have realized that they would take it and run with the editing. I'm really sorry."  Then they had their most sincere hug in years.

That was the high point.  Every day, the rink was more insane.  It was 2:30 on Thursday, three days before Meryl and Charlie were to leave for Nationals in Boston.  Tessa, Scott, Marina, Oleg, Johnny and Maurizio were in a closed door meeting, but you could hear Scott's voice through the walls.  Tanith and the Shibs were working on their short dance.  Fedor skated over to Charlie and Meryl, who were supposed to be training with Oleg. 

"I've got my juniors in twenty minutes, but we can work until then."

"Are you hungry?"  Charlie asked Meryl.  They had a rescheduled ballet class that day instead of lunch.

"Starving, of course!" Meryl laughed.  She hugged Fedor and skated off with Charlie to the boards.

"Let's get out of here," he was already pulling off his skates.

They drove to a near-by pub.  It was cold and snowy, and there weren't very many others in the middle of the afternoon.  They chose a booth in the back and sat down.

"I would kill for a beer," Charlie said.

"I think it's the smell of this place.  We could hardly stay here and not have one drink."

"It's not the smell, but I'll use any excuse.  You want a beer?"

"No, but I'll have a glass of Merlot."

"Right back." Charlie went to the bar to order the drinks while Meryl sorted the coasters, all which advertised a different offering.  There was a hockey highlights show on all the TVs.  Joy.  Charlie returned with the drinks.

"I ordered two side salads and a basket of fries."

"Perfect!"  This was Meryl's best meal in weeks.

"So, I'm really looking forward to getting on with this. I have to get out of here. Boston will probably be just as bad, but at least it will be a change," Charlie took a sip of his beer.

"The media will be insane, and all the people who don't make the team--it's going to be brutal."

"Well, at least we have that to look forward to!" He laughed.

Charlie stared at the TV while Meryl checked her phone.  A waitress brought their food, and both started in on their salads immediately.

"I just can't get enough iceberg lettuce," Charlie commented.

"We're at least 95% salad at this point.  I can't wait for retirement.  I'm aiming for 25% cupcake."

"That's ambitious."

"Well, after Sochi, I'll need a goal."

"I'm so ready to get on with it, and yet, I can't believe it's almost here. "

"That's deep, Chuck."

"I can't help it.  It's crazy everywhere I go."

"Home?"

"Kind of."

"Jacqui told Cheryl that you and Tanith are practically engaged."  She looked at him.

"Good ol' Jacqui."  He took another sip.

"Is it true?:

"I mean, if you had asked me this time last year, I would have said yes, but now...I don't know, it's been off."

"Well..." She took a sip of wine. "I want to talk to you about that."

"Oh god."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to come over the table at you."

"That's the least of my worries."

"Here's the thing.  I can't sleep anymore, so I've had lots of ponder the future time."  She dipped a fry in ketchup and took a bite.  "When I look at you in five years, I see you and Tanith and adorable blond kids." He started to protest.

 "I do.  Charlie, she makes you happy.  You don't always deserve her, and you're really lucky."

"Meryl, where do you see you, because I don't have as clear a vision..."

"Charlie.  You are the most important person to me right now.  I adore you--you know that.  I feel like we are soul mates in a lot of ways.."

"Meryl..."

"Charlie, I have a whole thing planned, let me get through it."  He shut up. "Like, here's how I see it.  If we lived another five lives, we would always find each other.  Maybe in one we're married with a bunch of kids.  I'm really fat in that one.  Maybe in one we're business partners.  I'm positive you're my dog in at least one." He balled up a napkin and threw it at her.

"I'm not finished.  Who knows what happens twenty...thirty years from now.  But you have real love.  Today.  I feel like I have at least ten affairs with various Russians, Italians and Frenchmen before I'm even ready to think about what you have with Tanith.  And I'm not assuming, Charlie, that you've even thought about what could happen between us.  But I think with all the craziness that the last couple of years have been, it's not surprising that we've gotten closer. "

"You will always be... more than just Aunt Meryl to my potential kids.  You're..."  He didn't know how to finish.

"I'm the bitch you won all those medals with."

"Well, you're a lot more than that. And someone's been watching Canadian TV."

"It's amaaaaazing.  And I would totally be rooting for _us_."

"I owe you fifty bucks for the Kardashian thing."

"Well, you can certainly get lunch."  Charlie put some bills on the table while Meryl grabbed their coats.

"Face it, Chuck.  You're relieved."

"Seriously, Meryl, I just want to get through the next few weeks, but yeah."  They shuffled out leaving 75% of their drinks and fries.  You can take the athletes out of training...

They laughed about the show the whole way back to the rink.  Meryl made him pull over at one point so she could show him a GIF of herself skating in haughty queen mode.  When they finally got back, no one seemed to have noticed they had gone.  Meryl tied her skates back on and skated over to Tanith.

"Maia and Alex look so good! I think they've got it." 

"Yeah, I hope so.  They've certainly put in the work."

"You're a great coach, Tanith."

"Aw, thanks, Meryl.  How are you and Charlie feeling?"

"Stressed.  Crazy.  Ready, I guess."

"Yeah, he's been as nervous as I've ever seen him." Charlie was playing with the sound at the boards, pulling up the familiar music.

"Well, I guess we're going to run the short before we finish for today.  Talk to you later."  Meryl paused and hugged her friend and then skated back to Charlie.

 

 

 

 


	14. Chapter 14

Boston

January 2014

 

They finished their free dance and Charlie stood right up.  Meryl knew from the last minute of the program that this was the most energy he had ever been able to conserve.  Of course it helped to skate in the middle of the afternoon, but they trained in the afternoon all the time, and she had never seen Charlie this strong at the end.

They fell into each other's arms.

"Wow," whispered Meryl.

"That was great," Charlie replied.  "Let's just stay here a minute."

Meryl was fine with that. 

"We had better bow," she said finally. The crowd was still cheering.

Marina was shouting to them before they even reached the boards.

"That's how you skate when you feel.  No one can beat."

Charlie took an American flag from a flower girl and high-fived Evan Bates as they exited the ice and Evan and Maddie skated on.  In the Kiss and Cry, he put his arms around Meryl and Marina.  The score was announced:  119.50--perfection. It was the first time ever at Nationals in the COP era that a team or an individual skater had earned a perfect score.  Marina shook her finger at them.

"This is what I talk about! You skate like this in Russia and you win."

They watched Evan and Maddie skate beautifully and secure a spot to the Olympics.  The Shibs had come in two points ahead of their biggest rivals for third place. Charlie was ecstatic.  Meryl was happy for them, too, but she also felt bad for the fourth place team who had a romantic style she admired.  They received their medals, but the official announcement about who was actually on the team would come tomorrow via text before the gala although in ice dance it was all but a foregone conclusion that the top three would get the spots.

Meryl took the shuttle back to the hotel to shower and rest a bit before they would go eat with Charlie, their moms and Marina.  After their meal, the group would head back to the arena to watch the ladies compete.  Tanith was in Boston, but she had to work all day with the network.

Throughout her shower and getting ready to go back out, Meryl was reliving the end of the free dance and that embrace with Charlie, which seemed to go on forever.  "Let's just stay here a minute," was running on a continuous loop.  Yes, Charlie, let's just live here.  She stopped time in her mind. The crowd froze.  Marina, cheering at the boards froze.  Evan and Maddie, anxiously awaiting their turn, frozen at the gate.  She and Charlie breathing into each other, holding each other tightly for hours.

Just a little over a week ago, she had sat with Charlie at that pub and had let him go.  He was so relieved, he was walking around like a new person.  It was as if she had given him permission to close that door and not feel conflicted.  And then today he kicked the door wide open again, or at least that's how she felt.  She fully expected to see him tonight with his arms around Tanith.

Honestly, she had to laugh.  The day after her lunch with Charlie, she had gotten a text:

 **Fedor** January 3, 6:30  Can I come over?

Red flags went up for Meryl immediately.  It was too late to be asking for a date for that night and too early for a booty call. Nothing good was heading her way.  In fact, he had fallen for someone at his gym and wanted to ask her out.  Meryl supposed he was being a good guy by not just hooking up with this person, but seriously? Great timing.  You could have done this on my birthday and really earned some bonus points. Sigh.  She hadn't mentioned it to Charlie.  It's not like he would notice them being less couple-like.

She lay down on the bed to close her eyes for a few minutes before it was time to go, but there was a knock as soon as she hit the pillow. She got up and let him in.

Charlie bounded in and grabbed her shoulders.

"I got a perfect score!"

"So did I!" she said and sat down on the little sofa by the window.

"I thought we should go over our worries before we eat," he teased her.

"Well, I guess I'm ready to go," she answered.

"Really? None? I can't believe it." He sat on the bed and lay back, looking at the ceiling.

"No, I'm good."

"Not even hair stress?"

"Is there something wrong with my hair?"

"No, it looked great."

"Seriously, Charlie, I'm ready; you're ready.  I'm not exactly looking forward to the last few weeks of training, but that's just because of the vibe at the rink. Let's go get Jacqui and Cheryl and go eat."

"You don't even want to talk strategy?"

"Okay, sure."

"Short dance..."

"It's the key.  I think if we go out in the team competition and win the short, we will have set ourselves up.  I'll be really worried if we're not ahead after the team short.  And I guess there is my worry.  They have a great short.  I love everything about it.  I'm so jealous of that step-sequence."

"It is really good, but when was the last time you saw them have a clean run through?" Charlie sat up and looked at her.

"At the Grand Prix Final when they almost beat us," Meryl looked away from him, embarrassed that her most outstanding memory of the GPF was not the competition.

"Almost."

"Yeah, I know.  I'm nervous and anxious, but when I look at the data, I think we have a really good shot."

He sprung off the bed, walked  over to the sofa and held out his hand.

"Okay, let's go." He pulled her up.

"Finally!"

He put an arm around her shoulders, and they went off to fetch their mothers.

Buddies, Meryl thought.  Yay.

 

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

Canton, Michigan

January 2014

 

**Charlie** January 30, 2014 7:45  You kicked Fedor to the curb?!?

**Meryl** January 30, 2014 7:47  What are you talking about?

**Charlie** January 30, 2014 7:48  He changed his status to single on Facebook.

Charlie wasn't sure why he and Fedor were "friends", but he was shocked when he saw Fedor's status. He texted Meryl immediately.

**Meryl** January 30, 2014 7:49  I didn't know he listed his relationship status on Facebook.

**Charlie** January 30, 2014 7:50  Meryl, seriously, what is up?

Charlie's phone rang.  Meryl's name flashed up on the screen.  They almost never called each other.

"Hey."

"Hey.  I'm exhausted, and I'm trying to pack.  I thought this might be easier than texting."

"Meryl, what's going on, did you dump him?"

"No, he dumped me."

"What?"

"It was weeks ago.  Right before Boston."

"What the fuck, Meryl? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Charlie, I..."

"Before Boston? Before Nationals? He broke up with you right before Nationals?"

"Yes."  Meryl sounded weary.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's not that big of a deal.  Yeah, it sucked, especially the timing, but like, it's not even in the top five things I'm worried about right now."

Charlie inwardly chuckled that Fedor presumably ranked lower than spiders.

"Wait, we've worked with him multiple times since then..."

"Well, you said we didn't act like a couple, so..."

"Good lord, Meryl."

Charlie let out a long breath. 

"Charlie."

"What?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I haven't talked about it with Marina, either, although I assume she knows.  The whole thing is awkward, and there is so much drama at the rink already.  I'm not really sad; I'm not really anything."

"I don't believe you."

"Here's the thing, I feel bad that he dumped me, like ego-wise, but I don't really feel sad that the relationship is over.  Anyway, blah.  I'm tired of talking about it already."

"I'm sorry, Meryl."

"Seriously, it's not a big deal."

Silence.  Charlie wasn't a big phone person, but Tanith had already left for Russia, and he was a bit lonely.

"So you're packing already?"

"Obviously.  How much did Tanith take?"

"Um, a lot."

"See, I don't know that we need that much.  We already have the Ralph Lauren gear, and we'll get a ton of stuff at team check-in.  I'm pretty much just taking jammies and workout clothes."

"We'll get workout clothes."

"I know, but I have my favorites. I'm taking a few dress-up things.  Don't forget we have Moscow right after.

"Yeah."

"I'm ready to go."

"Me, too."

Silence.

"Well, I'm going to try to get some sleep.  Last real training day tomorrow."

"Okay, sleep well.  Sorry about all of this."

"Charlie, it's fine. Good night."

"See you tomorrow; good night."

Charlie clicked off the phone.  He was planning on doing a couple loads of laundry on Saturday and then throwing some shit in a bag.  It had always been his preferred packing method.  Of course, Meryl probably had a checklist.  He smiled thinking about it.  That fucking asshole that dumped her.  Charlie had never thrown a punch in his life, even in a hockey game, but he wanted to get in his car and find the guy. He was furious just thinking about it...and something else.  When he saw the status update, his first emotion had been...relief? Happiness? Why did he care about this so much? Meryl seemed fine about it. Why would he be happy that she was free from Fedor? That she's available? Charlie yelled an unintelligible sound into his empty house.  _He_ wasn't available.  Why would he care so much that she was? He calculated the time in Sochi.  Middle of the night, too late or early to call Tanith.

He changed his clothes and headed to the gym, hoping to clear his head,  work himself into exhaustion and maybe sleep tonight.


	16. Chapter 16

Sochi

February 2014

 

Meryl and Charlie were sitting in uncomfortable chairs just behind the boards.  They both had their heads down trying to remain calm and get mentally prepared for their short dance.  Tessa and Scott were on the ice, and their familiar music had just started. Meryl and Charlie did their best to tune it out, but they knew every note and every cue.  The audience gasped.

"Twizzles."

"Twizzles."

They said it, barely audibly, at almost the same time.  They tried to get back into a trance, or at least pretend to.  As soon as the music ended, they shot up out of the chairs and waited by the gate to take the ice.  They skated hand in hand, super focused.  Tessa and Scott's score came in:  72.98, about three points off their personal best.

"Okay."

"Okay."

The next three minutes were a blur.  Meryl had no idea what the score would be, but she felt very good about the skate.  She let herself go in the rotational lift and experienced the Olympic arena while whirling around on Charlie's shoulder.  No matter what the score would be, she didn't think she would stop smiling for hours.  Marina and Oleg seemed very happy over all.  Marina couldn't help critiquing the first Finnstep.

"Off a tiny bit on timing but still great."

They joined their thrilled teammates in the Kiss and Cry.  75.98.  Three points up!  Team USA solidly in third--thank gawd. Meryl and Charlie were whisked away for a quick press conference. 

"Was it just me, or were the twizzles dead on?" Meryl was still full of adrenaline and trying to choke down some water while they waited at the presser table. 

"Yeah, they seemed like it."  Charlie was subdued.

"What's wrong?" She looked at him closely. He leaned in close to whisper in her ear.

"When I was coming off the ice from practice, a Canadian reporter asked me about some kind of collusion scandal, like a deal between USA and Russia.  I don't know anything, I was just focused on the short, but they will probably ask us about it."

"What?"

"Shhh, look, there are lots of friendly faces out there, they won't let us get thrown to the wolves."

It was the first question.  Scott and Tessa, to their credit, down-played it and mentioned their own error as the reason their score was low.

Meryl wanted to cry, but she refused to give anyone the satisfaction.  No errant eye-rolls, either, although her eyes were ready to roll out of her head.  She had been burned by rolling her eyes on camera in 2010, and she had practically glued them in place this time.  When asked about this article, apparently from a French newspaper citing an anonymous Russian coach, she looked the reporter dead in the eye and said,

"We are confident what we are putting out on the ice speaks for itself.”

A reporter threw them a bone:  "Any significance to the new dress?"

"Besides how beautiful it is?" Charlie replied.

Aw, Charlie.

The press conference was cut short so they could join their teammates in the kiss and cry of the team ladies' short and then the pairs' long.  Meryl was determined to put aside her feelings and be a good assistant captain to Charlie.  He had taken on the responsibility of being a true leader to the team, and she didn't want to bring him down.  Such utter bullshit, though.  What, had she and Charlie and the Russians conspired to make Tessa fuck up her twizzles?  Enough.

She watched her friend Ashley throw it down in the short program.  It was such an important skate after her devastating Nationals.  She was low-balled by the judges, but it was good enough for team USA to move on to the finals.

The pairs' free was next, and Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir skated their program beautifully, doing everything they could to help the team. Meryl and Charlie met them at the boards, and Marissa and Meryl hugged.  Meryl hadn't spent a lot of time with Marissa before, but they were roommates in the village, and Meryl had grown to like her a whole lot in the last few days.  Simon and Charlie had hung out quite a bit in the girls' room, and it had been a relaxing and quiet place, unlike most of the village.  After the team press conference, they decided to go eat together as a team and then try to get some sleep for tomorrow.  Meryl linked arms with Ashley and Marissa in line for food.

"That was so exciting! You guys did really well!"

"You and Charlie were on a whole other level, Meryl." Marissa squeezed her waist.  "I heard about the article; it's absolutely ridiculous.  I saw Tessa and Scott, except for her bobble, they were really good, but you guys were so clearly the best. Everyone in all the boxes were in awe."

"Thank you."  That's all she could say because finally a tear was falling down.

"Oh, Meryl, don't cry." Ashley hugged her.  Meryl furiously wiped her face.

"I don't want Charlie to see."

Marissa stood right in front of her. "He won't."

"So silly.  I'm okay.  Thank you."

They had a good time with the whole gang, everyone too keyed up and nervous for tomorrow to eat much.  Charlie and Meryl walked back to the dorms together.

"You okay?"

"Yes, Charlie, I'm fine.  It just sucks to work so hard and then have someone suggest that you only do well because of cheating."

"It's complete bullshit, Meryl.  I just read a Tweet from Dick Button.  He basically said USFSA is too incompetent to throw anything."

Meryl snorted. 

"Did you see we got level three on steps as well as the first Finnstep?"

"Yeah, I wonder what happened there.  I guess we'll see the tapes tomorrow."

"Marina will be ready to tell us all about it."

"Still," Charlie looked over at her, "We won the first battle."

"Yeah.  It's so weird to start over tomorrow--I would love to have that three point advantage."

"We get to skate last, it will be fine." They had reached Meryl's door.  Charlie hugged her.

"Great job today, get some rest."

"You, too, see you at practice."

Meryl has a restless night and was ready to go take it out on the ice at practice the next morning.  As expected Marina was waiting with video to show them their mis-steps. She also addressed the now infamous article that the Canadian media was running with.

"Is garbage.  It didn't happen.  When you are top, people want to knock you down.  They can't knock _you_ down."

They looked at the  twizzles on the video, and they were just as good as Meryl had suspected.  Her skirt and his tails looked just like they did in her sketch from last summer and the ideal in her mind all year.  It killed them not to be in the Kiss and Cry for the men's and ladies' team final, but they had to keep their focus on the free.  They did see Gracie's score and realized they could get second and still secure the team bronze.

"Hey, no pressure!" Charlie laughed.  Yeah, right.  Finally it was time for the warm-up.  Meryl sided up to Tessa, who was bearing a beautiful, red dress with a pattern on the bodice like a Faberge egg design.

"I love your dress. You look gorgeous."

"Thank you! Good luck!"

Baby steps.

Soon they were back in the uncomfortable chairs, heads down, as zen as possible, waiting their turn. The Russians, Elena and Nikita had already won team gold before they had even stepped on the ice.  The crowd went absolutely bananas for them.  When it was Tessa and Scott's turn, the crowd was completely subdued, and they heard no gasps like yesterday.

"I wonder how it went?" Charlie took of his guards and headed on the ice.

"Marina isn't happy."

"No, clearly."

107.56

"Wow." It was five points lower than at the Grand Prix Final. 

Hearing the score seemed to throw Charlie just a little, and it took him longer to truly be present in the program, but by the time they were heading into the combo lift he was fully with her.

"Keep it up," she whispered.

Their twizzles weren't as in sync as yesterday, but Meryl was sure they had all their rotations.  The rest of the program was strong and forceful, and Meryl felt great as they came off the ice together.  Marina grabbed Charlie and said something right in his ear, her love for him all over her face.  Oleg practically picked Meryl up in a hug.  As they made their way to the Team USA box, they were congratulated by skaters from Russia and Canada.  Charlie is so good at this, Meryl marveled for the thousandth time as he interacted easily with everyone.

"What did Marina say to you?"

"I have no idea." Charlie laughed.

"Yeah, right, you are _so_ her favorite."

Charlie laughed harder.

114.34. First place. World record.  Team bronze. Another battle won. 

Russian President Vladamir Putin came down from the stands to congratulate the medalists, shaking each of their hands.  When he got to Meryl, instead of just shaking her hand, he pulled her in close and whispered in her ear,  "You were wonderful."

"Someone is _his_ favorite," Charlie said after the president had moved on.

"I didn't know whether to hug him or kick him in the nuts," Meryl replied. Charlie had to sit down he was laughing so hard.

Later skating around with the team after the flower ceremony, Simon put his arms around both Meryl and Charlie. 

"Birthday cards for life, both of you."

In the press conference Charlie would call them a _team_ for life. 

The next day they received their medals in the Olympic park.  Team Russia was over the moon with their gold medals.  It was one week before the individual free dance. 

 

 

 

 


	17. Chapter 17

Sochi

February 2014

 

Meryl and Charlie plowed through the week leading up to the individual competition the way they had the whole season:  win every training session, win every practice, put your head down and work.

They found a quiet group of peers in Simon and Marissa and also some USA hockey women who were staying near by. They invented a ball game they could play on the three balconies and played for hours.  Simon was unbelievably good at it.  Meryl stayed put most of the time.  She hoped there would be time to really enjoy the Olympics before she left, but now was not that time.  No, I don't want to be in your video.  Try back in a week.

They made an exception to go to the arena and watch Marissa and Simon skate even better than they had in the team competition.  The other USA team was great, too.  It was heart-breaking to watch Aliona and Robin, the top-ranked German team, fail to skate the way they wanted to.  The top Russian team, Tatiana and Max won easily and decisively.

"The fix is in," Meryl said dryly.

"Too soon, Merle."

Practices were intense.  Tessa and Scott were changing a lift they had trouble with in the team competition, which seemed insane to Meryl and Charlie, but they were doing it better.  Tessa and Scott were on fire in practice, obviously trying to redeem themselves from last week.

They watched the disaster of the Men's competition. 

"As long as everyone stays upright, we'll look good in comparison," Charlie and Meryl were eating dinner the night before the short dance.

"We're going to kill it.  It's going to be killed."

They set a record with a great skate:  78.89 to 76.33.  But Tessa and Scott skated just as well, and many thought they were under-scored. It was going to be an intense battle, just like everyone had always assumed.  They won the draw, skating last.  Tessa and Scott, on the other hand, had a terrible draw.  They were stuck in the middle of two Russian teams.

The audience in Sochi was the oddest one they had ever skated in front of.  In all phases of the skating competition, they went totally wild for the Russian skaters, and seemed completely bored and indifferent to the rest of them.  There were a few exceptions; they were very encouraging to Jeremy Abbott when he wiped out into the boards in his short program, but otherwise they were uninterested in non-Russian teams. 

Meryl and Charlie felt great at practice and at the free dance warm-up.  They took their familiar chairs for the long wait.  Nathalie and Fabian scored very well. Elena and Nikita, though, scored seven points higher than they had just a week ago in the team event.  The crowd lost their shit as the young Russians went into medal position.

"Wow, that's a big improvement for a week," Charlie said.

"Hmmmm."

Tessa and Scott had to follow them, but must have done well, because although you never would have guessed it by the reaction of the crowd, they scored 114.66.

"A new world record! Yay!" Charlie's voice was shaking.

The other Russian team started their program.

"It's just us." Meryl took his hand.  "There is no crowd, no judges, no coaches, no parents, no one watching back at home.  It's just us on the ice. All of the hours, all of these years we have just skated together, and we're going to do the same thing right now. I'm just going to skate with you."

The crowd roared, and then booed when Katia and Dimitry had lower scores than the French team.  Meryl and Charlie took their starting spots.

Marina had told them just to feel the music, and they took her advice.  Every cue, every beat, they just felt.  They were breathing together the whole way.  Before Meryl knew it she was swinging around in the last rotational lift...choreo lift...and done. 

Just joy. And relief, but mostly joy.  He grabbed her, pulled himself up and fell into her.  She threw her arms around him.

"Oh, Meryl.  I love you."

"Charlie, I love you, too."

They bowed.  The crowd was predictably underwhelmed, but there were some fans cheering up there.

"Don't need to see.  You did it." Marina grabbed them both.  They made their way to the Kiss and Cry, and yes, they had done it.  116. 63. They couldn't have smiled any wider.  Meryl felt like a champagne bottle that had been aging for years and had finally been popped.  They were hustled backstage for an interview; Meryl laughed through the whole thing.  Her carefully refined, reserved persona: gone.  They did it!  Charlie pulled her into a small enclosed space and tried to hold her, but she was jumping up and down.

"We did it! We did it! Oh My god!" She finally fell into him and he kissed her.

She let him.  She held on for a few seconds past decency, because what the hell. He probably wouldn't do it again, and she was going to enjoy it. They finally let up, and she punched him in the arm, jumped a few more times and hugged him again.  There was a knock.

"Ready for you."

They smiled and laughed through the flowers. Through all the interviews. 

"What did you say when you finished, Charlie?"

Meryl just knew the answer would be "I told it that was great," or "I thanked her."

"I told Meryl that I loved her."

They smiled and laughed through no sleep.  Through the Today show, where Charlie somehow managed to play the violin--Meryl laughed through it. He's amazing, right? Through the medals in the rain.  Tessa and Scott sincerely congratulated them and seemed to have a great time, too.

They smiled and laughed through the rest of Sochi.  Tanith joined them quite a bit, which was okay.  They decided then and there that they were not going to Worlds, a decision made easier when they were offered a most ridiculous and wonderful reality show experience of their own. Still, they were not going back to train on that ice for anything other than show programs. Done and done, and done the best possible way.

Meryl felt more than a twinge at Charlie and Tanith.  She was secretly glad that she and Charlie were headed to Moscow for a day without her.  But there Tanith was in New York again by his side.  Meryl couldn't be too sad.  She was about to have the time of her life in LA and then back to college to finally get on with her life.  She could be happier, but only a tiny bit.

 

 


	18. Epilogue

Detroit

February 2026

 

"Meryl, come on! The short dance is about to start."

"Just a second, I'm making tea."

Charlie settled into the couch, all of his screens ready to go.  He was taking a very rare day off and hadn't mentioned the reason at work.  Olympic ice dance should be a city-wide holiday in Detroit anyway.

 

 

Charlie and Meryl had returned to the University of Michigan in the fall of 2014.  They plowed through their junior and senior years, and had enough credits to graduate by August 2015.  Charlie had been accepted to UCLA law school and would start in three weeks.  He and Tanith married in a wedding too small for Jacqui's preference.  Meryl was a bride's maid--Charlie had wanted her for best man, but he had brothers, and he felt obligated.  Meryl was about to start grad school in English at Columbia.  They would be a whole country apart. 

Charlie and Tanith settled into life in LA.  Tanith got a lot of work as a skating commentator, and was still trying for acting jobs. Charlie hardly had a moment for anything other than school, but he breezed through and discovered a passion for municipal law.  He got a job after graduation and after passing the bar with the city of Los Angeles.  He was 32, ready to start a family and dreadfully homesick for Michigan.  Tanith was not ready or willing for either.  A similar job to Charlie's opened up in the city of Detroit, and the couple reached a crossroads. Charlie decided he would stay, but Tanith tearfully let him go.  They divorced sadly but amicably, and Charlie moved back to Detroit. 

Meryl finished at Columbia, traveling the world every summer.  She got into the doctorate program at the University of Texas and moved to Austin.  She loved the weather and the overall vibe of the city and was thrilled to be offered an assistant professorship at Texas after she completed her doctorate. She and Charlie texted all the time, and kept up with each other on social media.  They saw each other occasionally at Christmas and would try to get out and skate.

In the fall of 2021, Arctic Edge was throwing a huge celebration for Marina.  NBC was turning it into a skating special to be aired the week before Nationals 2022 to drum up interest and viewership for the Olympics.  All of Marina's past and present teams were invited.

 **Charlie** September 2, 1:44 PM  So, what do you think?

 **Meryl** September 2, 3:35 PM Sorry, had a class.  About?

 **Charlie** September 2, 3:37 PM About cheese, Meryl.  What do you think about Cheese? About the Marina Gala! About putting something together. Geez.

 **Meryl** September 2, 3:39 PM Cheese is its own food group. :P  When's the gala taping?

 **Charlie** September 2, 3:40 PM End of October.

 **Meryl** September 2, 3:42 PM I want to do it.  I haven't played the Olympic gold medalist card here, let me see if I can get a week off--I'll call you later.

Meryl arrived in Michigan five days before the taping.  They had put the whole program together online and had been training separately in Detroit and Austin every spare moment they had.  Charlie picked her up at the airport; it had been almost a year since they had last seen each other.

"Chuck, you look great!"  She ruffled his hair, which he was growing out for the gala, having worn it short since his skating retirement. 

"Yeah, I'm getting a lot of flack for it at work, but you know, in for a penny..."

Meryl looked exactly the same.  She had taken up distance running and looked like she was in the same condition as she did the day they competed in Sochi. Charlie had lost fifteen pounds since early September.

"Do you want to drop your stuff at your folk's or go straight to DSC? I strong-armed Bates into giving us all the ice time we need."

"Eh, let's skate. I told Cheryl and Paul I'd be there for dinner.  They want you, too."

They headed over to the Detroit Skating Club where Evan Bates was now a coach.  They tried a couple of lifts on the floor first and then hit the ice.  The students and teams gathered around the boards in awe.  Yep, they still had it.  After dinner in Bloomfield Hills, they were both so keyed up, they decided to head back to Detroit and skate some more.  Their program was slow and romantic, like the best of their gala numbers. It was amazing how easily they fell back into the old rhythm.

"You want to go get a drink?"  Of course she did.  They went to a dive bar where she ordered a tequila shot with a beer chaser.

"What?"  She asked him.

"Nothing. I can't do a shot." But he downed his beer, and pulled her onto the makeshift dance floor. _I've Been Loving You_ was on the jukebox and they fell into each other and swayed to the Otis Redding classic. He kissed her and she stood on her toes and pressed herself into him.

"My apartment is just down the road."

"Let's go."

Charlie lived in a very cool studio in an emerging downtown Detroit neighborhood.  Meryl would admire it in great detail later.  But that night they collapsed on the bed without a second thought.  And they were either there or on the ice for the next six days.  Meryl had made the walk of shame that next morning home to pick up her suitcase.

"I'm going to stay at Charlie's, I hope that's okay.  Come by DSC and watch us later."  Cheryl just smiled.  Meryl was glad her dad was elsewhere that morning.  Charlie got a call from his mom exactly three minutes later as he and Meryl were driving back to Detroit. 

"Well, that didn't take long."

Meryl and Charlie lay in bed three hours before her plane back to Austin was going to take off. 

"I have to go. I have to teach in...ten hours."

"I'll quit my job and move to Austin."

"No, you won't, but you will fly down next weekend, and then I'll be back for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and then we'll have a plan."

They made their way to the shower and then reluctantly threw some clothes on and made it to the airport just in time.

"We're both 34! It's my favorite two months!" She kissed him in front of the security line.

"I love you, old lady." He watched as she disappeared into the crowd.

 

 

Meryl finally shuffled in to the living room and sat on the couch, immediately putting her feet on his lap.

"Finally! You missed the first two teams."

"Ooooh, are these the Italians? They're beautiful!"

"Meryl, they're one of Evan's teams--they train in Detroit, how could you not know that?"

"Hey, I know the Americans, I watched Nationals.  Elisaveta and Marco." She put a hand on her her round belly.  "Elisaveta is a gorgeous name!"

"Meryl! I thought we were settled on Francesca!" He was rubbing her swollen feet.

"Francesca Elisaveta..."

"That is a lot of name for a tiny person."

"She won't always be tiny. Frannie Bet..."

 

 

Meryl had pulled every Michigan string she had to get a job at U of M.  She was sad to give up Austin and running outside all year round, but she didn't give it much thought.  They were married in her childhood backyard and lived in Charlie's studio in Detroit until a few months ago when they bought a house in the same neighborhood.  Charlie was very active in the movement to rebuild and revitalize downtown.  She commuted to Ann Arbor.

They started trying for a baby after a year or so, and then went to a doctor after a year of no success.  It took two years of fertility treatments before they were finally expecting their daughter.

 

 

"So this is the team event?"

"Meryl, I have never met a former skater less into skating in my life."

"What can I say, I had my fill.  So how is Team USA going to do?"

"They have a chance at a bronze; it will come down to the dancers."

"Seriously? I love that! Are you tweeting them inspirational sayings?"

"I did this morning."

Meryl laughed and drank her tea and gloated to herself that she was the luckiest woman in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I couldn't resist a happily ever after ending. Thanks for reading and for all the great comments!


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